Beautiful Horrors
by The Pale Red Queen
Summary: Twenty-five years have passed since Benedict Lightwood's murder, and Tatiana Blackthorn is still angry about this. She believes that the only way to repay is through dangerous revenge. Will and Tessa thought they were safe after Mortmain, but a new enemy has risen to threaten their children and their friends. And none of them know what horrors are about to be unleashed.
1. Prologue

**Anddddd I'm back! But this time I'm not alone. I'm happy to announce that foolishmundanes and I will be co-writing this story together! Oh and I applaud her for beautifully crafting the cover image for this fic from Cassandra Jean's portraits of the TLH characters :)**

**This is basically our take on what happens in TLH. Do not read if you haven't read The Midnight Heir. Otherwise you will be heavily spoiled! **

**So we have the prologue ready for you all. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: no, we are not Cassandra Clare. But we sure wish we were!**

* * *

**Prologue**

There was a knock at the door. Tatiana stood up from the study in Lightwood manor, her skirts swishing about around her. As she made her way towards the door, she spotted Grace in the corner of her eye, and she quickly told her, "Be sure to behave yourself, Grace. We'll be having another visitor." She put emphasis on the word 'visitor' with a certain amount of warning, and Grace nodded in confirmation, shrinking back into the shadows.

Tatiana smoothed her worn, fuschia dress as she stumbled down the long, winding staircase towards the door. Carefully, she opened it. This wouldn't be the first time Tatiana Blackthorn had requested to meet with a warlock. Many of them had refused her offer, even at the mention of a grand amount of money. Unfortunately, each visit was the same; they'd all refused, leaving the manor as fast as they could.

She eyed the warlock with contempt, and opened the door wide enough to let him in. He entered with his eyes roaming about the room, a hint of surprise in them.

"Come, warlock," Tatiana said before the warlock could comment on the dilapidated manor. "I believe we have business to discuss."

The warlock stepped inside the foyer of the manor. Tatiana did a quick survey of the gardens outside before shutting the door and driving the lock home. She watched him as his eyes fell on Grace, who had peaked out of the darkness and appeared at the top of the stairs. She smiled triumphantly at him. His mouth was parted in astonishment. Just like the rest of them. Grace was strikingly beautiful after all.

Tatiana looked over to him, still smiling. "Magnificent, yes? My Grace."

The warlock snapped out of his trance, and then bowed courteously. "Pleasure," he muttered. Tatiana led him up the deteriorating staircase, the warlock being careful to avoid any rough patches. They reached the top and Tatiana ushered him into the foyer, Grace on their heels.

"I would actually prefer if we had this conversation alone," the warlock said curtly.

Tatiana made an irritated sound. "Very well," she scoffed, "Grace, if you please."

Grace gave them a look of silent inquiry, before nodding. "Yes, Mama." And she wandered off without a second glance and disappeared into the house, until she was no longer visible.

"Do not touch any of the doors or drawers," Tatiana instructed to the warlock, voice echoing in the vast manor, "while you are here." She crossed the room and shut the door, more as a precaution to keep Grace out. Meanwhile, the warlock had thrown himself onto a nearby armchair and began to make himself comfortable. He snapped his fingers and flames spewed out, illuminating the room, giving it a warm glow contrary to its atmosphere.

"What do you want?" the warlock asked lazily. "You called for me at the most unfortunate hour. Now, this better be important."

"I want a favor," Tatiana said, giving him a cold glare.

"A favor?" the warlock asked, raising his singular brow. Like most warlocks, he had an unusual appearance. He was unusually tall with his skin and hair in a nearly matching shade of light blue. On top of that, he had an extra digit to each hand. This all unnerved Tatiana, but she kept her focus. "What makes you think I would do you a favor?"

"I have a handsome price I'm willing to pay," Tatiana slid him a conniving smile, "and I know that you will accept it." She gestured to the desk at the corner, where a huge pile of coins sat at, more than one could imagine. The warlock followed her hand and his eyes widened in disbelief.

He smiled at her. "Very well. What shall it be?"

"Do you remember that day? It was twenty-five years ago, the day that my father was ruthlessly murdered." The warlock jerked back, taken completely by surprise.

"Why, yes," the warlock cleared his throat, "a tragic loss indeed it was for Benedict Lightwood."

"Yes, it was," Tatiana brushed him off and continued, "well, certain Shadowhunters were responsible for killing an innocent, defenseless man. I want you to end them."

"And how do you propose I do it?" the warlock inquired, suddenly looking very intrigued.

Tatiana gave him a satisfied look. "I want you to kill me five Shadowhunters."

"Revenge isn't always the best answer," the warlock shook his head, increasingly growing wary with each moment.

"Are you sure about that, warlock?" Tatiana retorted. "Because, this could make or break your career. You certainly do not want your lifeline teetering off the edge." She indicated towards the desk and then his eyes shifted back to the money. He seemed to be waging a mental war within himself. Then, he slid his gaze back to Tatiana, levelling his eyes with hers.

"I think we have reached an agreement, Mrs. Blackthorn," he said, grinning to reveal pointy teeth.

"I am glad we finally have. You will enjoy your reward, Cyrus Fade."

"How would you like me to do it? And when do you propose I should start?"

"Do whatever you must to complete the job," Tatiana said with a flourish of her hand, "and start as soon as possible. We must surprise them. They must feel the same pain that I felt when their parents killed my father. And may they burn in Hell."

"One last question. Who is in service?"

Tatiana smiled wickedly. "Christopher Lightwood. Lucie Herondale. Thomas Lightwood. Matthew Fairchild. And James Herondale."

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**There you have it! So what do you think? It's not much, but trust us, this is imperative for the entire story. Could we get 3 reviews for the next chappie?**

**Thanks!**

**~ The Pale Red Queen and foolishmundanes**


	2. Hidden in the Shadows

**Chapter 1: Hidden in the Shadows**

BANG. The windows inside the London Institute's ballroom burst out and came shattering down in a cascade of broken glass. And standing among the rubble was James Herondale, a smug grin wiped across his face.

Shrieks and cries filled the room, and the Shadowhunters wore an expression of sheer horror as James aimed his pistol at the chandelier suspending from the ceiling, and fired carelessly, not paying attention to all of those around him. The chandelier exploded and fell down from the spot it was hanging off from. More broken glass filled the room, followed by more screams, as people skirted around the gigantic, broken chandelier.

"Someone, stop him!" a partygoer shouted from the crowd.

"He's raging mad!" another person yelled.

James ignored this. He hated this damn party. And he didn't even know why his parents had arranged for it. He raised his gleaming silver pistol once more and pointed towards the windows on the opposite side of the room. Before he could release the trigger, someone gripped his sleeve and pulled him back. "James," said a stern voice in warning, "put the gun down." James spun around to see his _parabatai_, Matthew Fairchild, facing him. Matthew's normally light and playful eyes were filled with worry and seriousness.

James lowered his gun, his eyes glinting darkly with a dangerous shine to them. "Try me," he sneered.

Before Matthew could reply, a deep, booming voice echoed in the ballroom. "James Herondale! What the hell do you think you're doing?" James knew who this was immediately, and automatically put his gun down. This was one person he could never anger no matter what the circumstances were. This is one man that nearly everyone in the room respected.

James looked up to see his father, William Herondale, storming towards him, closely followed by his mother, Tessa. While Will was absolutely enraged, his mother was frowning in disappointment, a great amount of sadness etched into her features. But he did not care what anyone thought.

He stared down at the glistening silver pistol that reflected the witchlight in the room, and then James looked over to the mess of broken shards of glass from the chandelier, and he smiled in a bitter amusement. "The glass was a bit overwhelming," he responded with a flip of his gun. "Didn't you think it was overwhelming?" Will and Tessa stood there, narrowing their eyes in disapproval. "I thought it was overwhelming," James said, more to annoy his parents than anything else.

"That's enough, James." Will cut him off with a deathly edge and glowered at his son, his jaw clenched. "What exactly were you trying to accomplish? Killing us all?"

_Perhaps it was myself I was trying to kill,_ James thought to himself, placing a finger on his chin. James's golden eyes, which resembled the burning flame of a candle, fell on the Shadowhunters scattered across the ballroom, staring at him in absolute terror. They were all whispering among themselves in hushed murmurs. He ignored them once again.

"Everyone's dismissed," Will barked in a deadly tone. All the guests obliged, scuttering about to leave the party. And Will Herondale's wrath. Soon, it was just Will, Tessa, James, and his little sister, Lucie, left.

Will walked over to James and held out his hand. James reluctantly handed his father the silver pistol, who slung it into the belt beneath the waistcoat. "Upstairs. Drawing room. Now." Will said with no warmth to his voice. Without another glance, Will spun around on his heels with Tessa behind her husband, a nervous expression across her face. James knew there was no turning back and no other choice, so he followed them.

Will opened the room to the drawing room and held it open for everyone to enter. James didn't even look at his father as he stalked towards an armchair and flung himself onto it, burying his face in his hands.

"Jamie." He looked up, and this time it was not his father speaking, but his mother. Her tone was softer, more controlled, contrary to Will's. "We are...concerned about you. Why will you not tell us anything? This just isn't like you." And there it was again. Those five words he had been constantly hearing from his parents. James once again buried his face into his hands, feeling the need to growl in frustration.

"I told you once before, and I will repeat it once more." James took his hands off his face and his eyes shifted to meet his father's cool gaze, and returned it with just as much iciness as he could muster. "After all," he smiled cruelly, knowing the perfect way to get them both absolutely furious, "Father does seem to be getting quite forgetful these days. Must be the aging. Mother, on the other hand... Well, I can't say the same for her."

This obviously startled the both of them. For a second Will and Tessa were speechless, and moments later Tessa's eyes were suddenly glassy when looking over to her son, and then downwards as she covered her mouth with her hands. Will appeared to have noticed this, and stood up from his chair, snapping, "_James Herondale—_"

"No," Tessa rose from her chair as well, interrupting him and placing a hand lightly on her husband's arm. James rolled his eyes, cringing slightly at their consistent displays of affection. "It is quite all right. You needn't get upset, Will."

"Tess, something is wrong with our son," Will said, "I do not know what, but this is not the Jamie that we raised."

Tessa studied her husband long and hard before slowly nodding. "You're right," she agreed, "this is not the Jamie we know. The Jamie we brought up was given all the love and care he deserved."

"You mustn't talk of me as if I'm not here," James spoke up, narrowing his amber eyes in contempt at his parents.

"Perhaps," Will told her quietly, ignoring James, and then he huffed, "we should send him to Idris. Not for too long, just for a little while. We cannot risk him hurting anyone. Thank the Angel no one was injured today."

"Idris!" James cried, completely taken by surprise. Were they that willing to send him away? James truly believed that his parents loved him, even if he didn't show it.

Tessa hesitated, and bit down on her lip. "Maybe it would be good for him," she said reluctantly. "Perhaps it would be good for all of us."

James's mouth was hanging wide open now, but before he could say anything, Lucie Herondale sauntered around the room with a determined look. Her dress was swishing about her legs as she walked, and then stopped with her hands on her hips. Her dark blue eyes, the ones she had inherited from her father, were blazing, and her bun was beginning to loosen as strands of brown hair were falling into her face. "Don't I get any say in this?" his sister chimed in.

Will and Tessa shifted in their seats, not entirely expecting Lucie to come into the room. They looked up at their daughter, ready to listen. James could only hope that her opinion would rescue him.

Lucie looked satisfied at the attention, and began explaining her thoughts. "While sending James to Idris may be a good idea, I feel it would be best if he were to stay here at the Institute. Cordelia and I could talk to him, you know. Perhaps we can help him," Lucie suggested, giving James a subtle wink. He raised his eyebrows in confusion. Lucie and Cordelia talking to him? The idea was much better than sending him away to Idris by a long shot. But still, he wasn't a fan of Lucie's crazy idea. Though he wished his sister and Cordelia didn't have to waste their time on him. Or anyone, for that matter.

Cordelia Carstairs was his sister's _parabatai_, someone he would always be polite to in her company, yet not someone he usually converses with. It was weird to think that she was Uncle Brother Zachariah's cousin, though. But in the long run she was nice, James supposed. He was always a bit more shy, so he would just return to his own _parabatai_, Matthew Fairchild and he would try to help him with his Latin and other studies. She was pretty also, with short, bright red hair that fit her face. Although not nearly as beautiful as Grace.

Grace. That name caused so much pain for James, even just thinking about it. He had given her his entire heart, and she shattered it to bits and pieces without a second thought. He still loved her, even after what she did to him and even if she would never feel the same for him. Nobody knew about this, of course. Not even Matthew, who he trusted with his life. It was best to keep it that way.

"What do you think, Tess?" Will inquired, snapping James back to reality, his despair much stronger than it had been only moments ago. He slumped in his chair, sulking over rather depressing thoughts of Grace.

Tessa looked over to Lucie thoughtfully, briefly contemplating, and then back at her husband. "It could possibly work," she supposed, a hint of uncertainty in her tone.

"Mum," said Lucie. She was very adamant, just like her mother and father, and always made sure that when she wanted something, she got it. She was stubborn to the core.

Will stroked his chin in deep thought. "Although, Tess, our Lucie is still under the mature Shadowhunting age. She is only twelve, and even with Cordelia, I am not entirely sure if it will suffice."

Tessa glanced up at her husband and a look of understanding crossed her face.

Lucie sighed heavily in frustration. "Mum, dad, believe me, I know James better than anyone else, and it might not change anything if he were sent away. If he goes off to Idris, he may be more tempted to do what he shouldn't be doing. At least here, Cordelia and I can guide him, and keep a close eye on Jamie." He could practically see their parents giving up to Lucie, and they were putty in her hands. "And if that does not work, then we can send him to Idris."

James really did not like how his parents and his sister were arguing about the matter. He wished they would leave this alone. No, he wished they would leave him alone. James deserved nothing of their attention. Love was his damnation.

"Very well," Will said with resignation, turning to Tessa, "Lucie does have a point. Although, I think it would be wise if Matthew Fairchild is there too. He can report to us."

"What, you won't believe me?" Lucie said in exasperation, throwing her hands in the air. Herondales really did have a flair for the dramatics.

"Lucie," Tessa said in a warning voice, giving her daughter a stern look and Lucie automatically fell silent. "It is settled, then. When do you think this can start?"

Lucie's face lit up, a triumphant smile settling on her lips. She had clearly gotten what she wanted. And why? James had no idea. "Tomorrow, perchance. If that is all right with James, of course."

All heads turned to him with expectant faces, and he forced a nearly imperceptible nod, albeit half-heartedly, for he did not want to disappoint his younger sister—not when her eyes held all the hope in the world. Lucie clapped her hands together in enthusiasm.

"Then its settled," Will announced. "Cordelia, Matthew, and Lucie will begin tomorrow in helping our James with his little... problem."

James scowled and grumbled to himself about how he didn't have a problem, watching as Lucie nearly squealed with delight, but moments later asked rather bluntly, "Can I leave now?"

Will sighed and ran a hand through his hair, and replied tiredly, "Yes, you may, James." It was evident that Will knew he couldn't deny the request, especially since the matter at hand was already settled.

James silently rose from the armchair and sauntered out of the drawing room, without another glance at his parents.

* * *

James did not go to his room, as he originally intended. His head was crowded with thoughts, and he needed to clear his mind of everything. So, he decided to go out for a walk in the dank, London night. Without telling the members of the Institute, of course. Like father, like son.

He hadn't really put much thought into where he would be going, honestly, and yet he couldn't really bring himself to care. What had been distracting his mind was the fact that the very next day, Lucie, Cordelia, and even Matthew would most likely end up trying to probe his mind for details of 'his problem', as his father had called it.

It was not a problem. Although, it did appear to be. But it wasn't James' fault that his life had been shattered and shredded into tiny little pieces for no one to pick up. Nobody could ever heal him. Love was his destruction, and he could never believe in it. While his father had found hope in love, James had found sadness and despair in love. He envied his father. The way he looked at Tessa with pure adoration and the way his mother reciprocated... James had hoped that the same would happen. Unfortunately, hope was not reality.

James had no idea how long he had walking about London, but he had somehow ended up in Hyde Park near the Serpentine. He still had his silver pistol with him, tucked away in the waistband of his pants. He silently laughed to himself, amused by the fact that his parents had ordered a meeting revolving around this very pistol, yet neglected to take it away from him.

He paused to take in the view for a brief moment, when his eyes landed on the creature before him. A small duckling, and he was reminded of his father and how he would always make a fuss around the 'absolutely horrid monster.' James rolled his eyes, and then glanced up at the Serpentine. Though in secret, he hated ducks almost as much as his father did.

He had attempted to drown himself at this very place, and was unsuccessful. He could just barely recall a warlock whose name he had forgotten, with gold-green eyes with a slit in them, like a cat, rescuing him. James was a bit annoyed at him for that very reason. He did not ask to be saved, nor did he want to be in the first place. He would've been better off dead.

James sat down on the ground with his knees brought up. He pulled out the pistol and he tilted it, watching the reflected moon shine on its side, finding amusement and putting his focus on it, his previous thoughts almost completely forgotten.

There was a loud rustling. James knew it would be best to ignore the sound; it was probably just the wind or a duck or something, yet couldn't help but be fully aware of his surroundings. Then it came again, but this time louder. He raised the pistol, pointing it in the direction of the rustling, and shouted, "Who's there?"

No one replied. "Show yourself!" James shouted. He swore that he could wake up everything around him and send the ducks into a frenzy. With his free hand, he slid it into his waistcoat, preparing to pull out a seraph blade.

Suddenly, something came barreling out of the thicket of bushes behind James. A creature of some sorts. Not a creature. A demon.

James rolled over to his side and gripped the seraph blade in his hand, whispering sharply, "_Uriel_," and the blade instantly glowed, too bright for his eyes in the dark. He looked around, and a dark silhouette was presented before him, a shape he couldn't make out before it stood close enough for him to make out its features, thanks to the brightness of his blade: it was lizard-like with dark green scales covering its entire body with two mouths, one on its forehead with serrated teeth and another below with sharp fangs, in addition to a razored tail and a forked tongue with a stinger. James swallowed hard. It was an Ahiab Demon. They were blind, but lethal.

James braced himself as the demon approached him. Will had always said that James was an amazing Shadowhunter, and James could only hope that his talent would pay off. The demon was within arm's reach and opened its horrible mouth wide. James took a deep breath and lunged. He stabbed _Uriel_ through the lower mouth, then jerked it up, cutting through the upper mouth. In a flash, the demon fell to the ground and began to disintegrate, getting sent back to whatever hellish dimension it came from.

James smiled triumphantly. However, his glory was short lived. The demon came springing back to life, and James's eyes widened in shock and a twinge of fear. Demons were _never _supposed to do this. He heard more rustling, and more Ahiab Demons sprung out from the bushes, at least a dozen of them flanked side by side as if in some sort of demon army. The one that James had first attacked lurched at him at an incredible speed, and with a sudden panic, James's body transformed into a shadow, leaving the demons absolutely confused. He silently thanked his mother for being a Downworlder. He took advantage of the moment, and finished the Ahiab Demon he was initially attacking, and sliced cleanly through its narrow tail, and the demon hissed at the pain. He then broke off into a run, not wanting to defeat the rest of the demons. James would have stayed behind until all the demons were slayed, but there was something unusual with these demons. Something wrong. It was as if someone had worked magic into them to make them nearly immortal. James had never seen anything like this before.

He ran down the dark shadows of the London streets, keeping down low in the shadows, blending in with his surroundings. His mind was a jumbled mess. He couldn't help but wonder why there'd be so many demons out at once, and if they were all like that. And while it made sense for them to be out at night, why Hyde Park? There weren't many demon occurrences there. And it couldn't just be a coincidence for them all to be there when he decided to go for a walk. But then, everything clicked.

James knew what was wrong. Someone was out to kill him.

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**Yay another chapter, just like promised! Thank you all of you for reviewing, favoriting, and following this story. We both really appreciate this :D It keeps us motivated to keep this going. And, we love feedback.**

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	3. An Investigation

**Chapter 2: An Investigation**

James woke up the most unpleasant way the following morning. Lucie was literally jumping on his bed, forcefully urging him to get up. James was not a morning person, and having Lucie barge in when he preferred to be alone was not his idea of fun. She ignored his protests as she pulled him by the arm, nearly having him fall off his bed.

"What do you want?" James barked at his little sister.

"Cordelia and Matthew are going to be here soon to help you!" Lucie said a little too enthusiastically, not even recoiling at James's sharpness. Then she eyed him suspiciously. "You haven't forgotten, have you?"

"I wish I could," James muttered under his breath.

Lucie sauntered to his door, placing her hands on the knob, choosing to ignore her brother. "You must get dressed. I will be back in a moment, so do hurry. Be in the drawing room in fifteen minutes. If not, I'll get mother and father to come and get you, and things may not be so pretty." And she left without another word.

His parents coming meant bad news. James groaned and stumbled out of his bed, throwing his sheets to the side. Hurriedly, he changed out of his night clothes and pulled on the usual: trousers, dress shirt, suspenders, and of course to top it all, a bowtie. He ran his hand through his jet black hair a few times, not really caring how it looked, and made his way groggily to the drawing room where Lucie, Cordelia, and Matthew would be awaiting for his arrival.

His hand reached out to open to the door, but then drew back, sighing dramatically.

James was still a bit upset with Lucie for organizing this whole thing. Perhaps it won't be so bad, he tried to convince himself, and when he pulled the doors open and all eyes fell on him, all James wanted to do was go back to his room and sleep—anything to avoid this.

Everyone was there. Not only his _parabatai_ along with Lucie and Cordelia, but also his parents. That was certainly not what he expected, and James felt a twinge of disappointment. He could only hope that his parents would be there for a short time. As it was, having Lucie and Cordelia there was hard enough, and Will and Tessa would be an extra burden.

"Jamie! You made it!" Lucie exclaimed, clapping her hands together. James sighed to himself in annoyance; like he was never going to make it.

"Why are they here?" James ignored her, pointing to his parents.

Before Will, Tessa, or Lucie could say anything, Cordelia exclaimed, "James! Here, why don't you take a seat next to me?" She sent him a warning look with a quick glance at his parents, and James obeyed. Though it did nothing to improve his mood, leaving him even more irritated. She moved over for him, and James sat, his head hanging down. They were close. Too close. This whole situation was just so embarrassing.

James started to believe that his being here was the punishment, not Cordelia, Matthew, and Lucie talking to him. His parents wanted him to be embarrassed, or at least that's what James thought up. He thought he was being set up to be ridiculed by everyone around him.

Matthew was sprawled out lazily, legs crossed of the arm of the chair and his head resting on the other. "So, what are we waiting for?" he asked cheerily. He was so much like his father, Henry Branwell, and he radiated energy. Even his looks mirrored his father: a shock of bright red hair with a hint of brown, curious brown eyes, and he always had a smile plastered across his face. He did inherit his mother's, the Consul Charlotte Fairchild, seriousness and good intuition when necessary.

"I myself was wondering that," said James, leaning forward in his seat as far away as possible from Cordelia and looking to his younger sister with a menacing smile. "Do tell what you have in store for us, dear sister."

"Well, Cordelia and I were thinking that we should work with you in training," Lucie said. James noticed that she put the emphasis on Cordelia's name, and he rolled his eyes.

"Really Lucie?" James said, throwing his arms up in frustration, "I'm already well trained and more advanced than you so how dare you think that I need training. You're the one to speak."

"James!" Tessa exclaimed. "That is no way to speak to your younger sister. Show Lucie some respect."

"Why are you even here, Mother? And you, Father?" James asked lazily, not even acknowledging their presence.

"And this is exactly why he needs help," Will said to Tessa, shaking his head in disapproval. Tessa whispered something in Will's ear, and he nodded reluctantly. "Very well," Will said at last. "Lucie, Cordelia, Matthew, we shall leave you alone with James. Tessa and I will be in the library if you require our assistance." With that, Will took Tessa's hand and the two of them exited the drawing room.

"So, now that we're alone..." Lucie said, beaming ear to ear.

"Really, Luce?" Cordelia said in a bored tone. It was the second time that she spoken, slightly startling James. He golden eyes flicked up to look at her and noticed she was rather uncomfortable, and she shifted in her seat. He hoped he had done nothing to upset her. "I thought we were here to helpJames."

"We _are _helping James," Lucie stated, suddenly looking proud of herself. "Helping him escape Mum and Dad's wrath. It is what siblings do. You should know that, Cordelia, with Alistair and all. And I've never seen them so angry before. You're very welcome, by the way," she said to James.

He was surprised by what she had said, but nevertheless grateful. "Thank you, Lucie." Then he stood up, brushing off his trousers and approached his _parabatai, _who was playing with his fingers. "In that case, I need to discuss something with you, Matthew. Now." His tone was urgent, and Matthew looked up at him, his fingers frozen. Lucie and Cordelia lingered around. "Alone," James added for emphasis.

"But we have plans—" Lucie started.

"Save it for later," James interrupted her in irritation. "I'll get you when I'm done." Lucie rose from the sofa she was sitting in, Cordelia following suit, and together the two of them left, leaving Matthew and James to themselves.

Matthew rose from his chair as well, and James seized his wrist and pulled him to a corner of the room, dropping his voice to a whisper. He didn't want Cordelia and Lucie to overhear them. He quickly jumped into explaining everything from when he left the Institute the other night, about how he went to Hyde Park, and then the Ahiab Demon attack and how when he thought he had killed one, the demon seemed to have been brought back to life. Then he told him how it was beyond his capabilities to defeat them all, so he turned into a shadow and escaped back to the Institute. Matthew was left speechless by the time James was finished.

"What do you propose we do?" James asked him, an edge of worry to his face.

Matthew pondered this for a moment. James saw his sister growing impatient from the distance. "I say," Matthew finally muttered, a mysterious smile playing across his lips, "we go investigate."

"I heartily agree with you," James said with a grin.

"Are you both done in there?" Lucie's voice came from outside in the corridor.

James sighed in annoyance. "We shall do it after we are done with these two girls, Matthew. Tonight?"

Matthew nodded and James quickly regained composure. "Come in," he announced to Lucie and Cordelia, and they strutted in. Their expressions remained stolid, giving no betrayal of whether or not they had overheard James and Matthew. They had been quiet, hadn't they?

* * *

"Tess, I'm worried about him." Will looked up at Tessa from the novel that he was engrossed in, concern in his eyes. Just as they had said, they had made their way to the library, and just like the Will and Tessa from twenty-five years ago, they had dug their noses into books. "What do you think could be wrong? He's never told us anything."

Tessa shrugged. "I honestly do not know, Will. We had ensured ourselves to give him as much love as possible, and our love for him has stretched beyond those limits. I don't understand why he is behaving like this."

Will stroked his chin. "He's been more like this ever since Magnus came to visit us a couple months ago. Speaking of Magnus, have you been in correspondence with him?"

"No, I haven't heard from him since that day," Tessa said, shaking her head. "But otherwise, yes, I have sent a few letters to him. Though perhaps we should have someone else delivering those letters, since the Morgensterns proved themselves to be very untrustworthy."

"Very true, but we'll settle this once we're done with James," Will said, burying his head in his hands. "I just don't know where we went wrong, Tessa.

Tessa rose from her seat and walked over to Will, who was seated in the armchair next to her. She placed her hands lovingly on his shoulders and gently kissed his temple. "We didn't go wrong, Will, and you know that. There is something that happened to our Jamie. Something inside him is twisting him and torturing him to unbearable means. I don't know what it is, Will, but we must help our son. We must do anything to save him."

Will turned to look at Tessa. He had aged, but beautifully so into a handsome man. Other women constantly envied Tessa, but Tessa's love for Will went beyond his physical appearance. And all that mattered was that he knew that too. Whenever she saw Will, she didn't see an older man, but the same seventeen year old boy that she had fallen head over heels for. "You are right," said Will, "and we will find out what is making him suffer, even if we have to take apart the Institute stone by stone until we discover the truth of—"

"Alright, Will," Tessa chuckled, smiling up at him.

He pressed his lips to her cheek, and murmured against her skin, "I love you, Tess. You know that, right?" Shivers ran up her spine at the mention of her nickname, those three words, and at the proximity. She was amazed that Will still had this effect on her after all these years.

"Of course I do, Will," she whispered. "And I love you, too." She tilted her head just a little bit a gently placed her mouth on Will's. Will groaned deep within his throat and matched Tessa's with equal pressure. Even after twenty-five years, Tessa never got bored of kissing Will. He was like a drug to her, and the more she had him, the more she wanted him.

There was a noise—someone clearing their throat—and Tessa and Will sprang apart. Matthew Fairchild stood in the threshold of the library, looking straight at Will and Tessa, a slight redness creeping up his cheeks. He looked so much like Henry, although not quite clumsy and absent-minded. He still inherited his father's playfulness, but had a mix of Charlotte within him, and held an air of authority at times.

Matthew coughed into his sleeve awkwardly, now avoiding eye contact with them both, his blush deepening. "I'm sorry, did I interrupt something?"

"No, don't worry, Matthew," Tessa said with a fond smile. She had no shame being caught with Will, now that they were married. It still felt surreal to Tessa.

"What brings you here, Matthew?" Will asked, turning to face him. Matthew stepped into the library, approaching Will and Tessa.

"I came here to inform you on how Jamie is doing, sir," Matthew said, his brown eyes alight.

Will sighed heavily. "Matthew, how many times must I tell you not to call me sir? Will is just fine. You are practically family to us, Matthew."

"Yes, sir. I—I mean, Will," he added with a clear of his throat, and a hint of a smile.

"Well, carry on then, Matthew," Will said, though not unkindly. Tessa positioned herself beside her husband and took his hand.

Matthew took a seat across from them, and then explained, "James is improving greatly. Lucie, Cordelia and I had talked to him about respecting others, discipline, and lectured him on a great deal of topics. James was very attentive throughout the whole thing, and I heartily believe that Lucie and Cordelia have done him good."

Tessa felt relieved, and she squeezed Will's hand once.

"And the shooting?" Will asked, raising an eyebrow.

"We'll get to that later," Matthew said, looking almost nervous. "One step at a time, sir."

"Will," Will corrected again, and Tessa stifled a laugh. "Very well, Matthew. It sounds like the lot of you made some terrific progress today. Is there anything more you wish to share with us?"

Matthew shook his head. "No, er—Will. That is all."

"Thank you, Matthew," Tessa said kindly, "you are dismissed."

Matthew stood up from his chair and stalked off away from the library. Tessa and Will watched him leave, and then Will turned to Tessa, a hint of mischief in his beautiful, dark blue eyes. "Would you like to go someplace more private, Tessa darling?"

"Is that a challenge, Mr. Herondale?" Tessa said with a smirk, and Will beamed at her.

* * *

"Ready to do some investigating?" James asked Matthew with a grin. They were in James's room, fully clad in black Shadowhunting gear. Matthew was just beginning to apply runes to James; James had already done so to Matthew.

"Ready as ever," Matthew said, excitement evident in his voice.

As soon as Matthew was done with the runes, James said, "Let's get going." They left James's room and made their way towards the entrance of the Institute. They had applied Soundless runes, so luckily no one could hear their footsteps echoing through the vast hallways. On top of that, they had glamours on so no mundanes could see them.

James carefully opened the door and Matthew stepped through, and then James did as well, closing the door. It was late at night, approximately nine-thirty or so. They had packed with them their steles, daggers, and other weapons this time just to be safe. James took the lead and they quickly hurried along the cobblestone path away from the Institute.

They walked in silence, keeping their guard high just in case a demon came for an attack. James navigated the way to Hyde Park, and they stopped short right by the entrance.

"This is where it happened, you say?" Matthew asked, pointing to the expanse of trees and greenery before them.

"Yes. I have no idea how the hell I ended up here, but I just did." James shrugged. "Let's keep going."

At this time, there were no other people in the park. The two of them broke out into a jog and made their way towards the great lake: the Serpentine.

"And here?" inquired Matthew. James confirmed this with a nod.

"There were so many," he told him, gesturing to the grass and the bushes beyond, and then at a few ducks. "I've no idea where they could have gone to, though."

Matthew paused and stroked his chin in deep thought. "What I don't understand how they have just come back to life." Then Matthew narrowed his eyes at his _parabatai_, and he asked him, his tone suspicious, "You weren't drunk again, were you?"

James rolled his eyes, unable to believe he could ask such a question, especially when lives could be at stake. "Of course not. If I were drunk, why would I be imagining this?"

"It does seems like the more plausible answer," Matthew muttered under his breath.

James huffed, and ignored him. Suddenly, there was a rustle coming from the bushes. The exact bushes where the possessed demons attacked James the other night.

Matthew tightened up and threw James a worried look. "Come on," James nudged him.

"What if they come back?" Matthew said timidly.

"That's the point, Matthew," James said irritatedly as they ran towards the bushes. James braced himself before crouching down and taking a peek behind one of those bushes. He felt them move ever so slightly, and James bolted up, thrill running through his veins. "Did you hear that?" he whispered. Matthew nodded.

His brown eyes looked almost black in the dim light, so when he smiled, it looked very dark and mischievous.

They came closer to the bushes and the rustling started again. James pulled out his seraph blade and readied himself to attack, Matthew mirroring his motions.

"On the count of three," James instructed his _parabatai_. "One...two...three!"

They lunged, but then their blades fell out of their hands.

"Stop!" someone exclaimed. They ceased, tension spreading across their bodies as two silhouettes jumped up from the bushes. The voice was small and feminine, and they both recognized it. James squinted to make out the two figures' faces in the dark, and when he saw them, he swore under his breath, anger quickly flooding through him. Matthew cast a shocked look in his direction, and James grunted.

They were face to face with Lucie and Cordelia.

* * *

**We just had to add some Wessa! What good is a story without that?**

**THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS YOU GUYS! foolishmundanes and I are so grateful for that :D It makes us even more motivated to continue this story!**

**So when we type these chapters up, we get distracted like all the time and the funniest/randomest comments come out from us. We may just publish a separate fanfic with all of that ;)**

**ANYWAYS review! Favorite! Follow! And all that jazz :D**


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